Raised in Milwaukee, Joel A. Brown has been writing since the age of 7, but did not consider it a vocation until the age of 17. Joel approaches his craft from a spiritual perspective instead of as an academic discipline. In a word, he describes his poetry as "authentic." His poetry is a unique blend of urbanism, sensuality, and spirituality, which speaks to life and its varied nuances. "I don't know what I don't feel," says Joel, "so my poetry is strictly my truth being revealed." He has 300+ poems to date, and spends his time traveling and performing at poetry events, schools, civic celebrations, and spiritual gatherings, both locally and nationally. He has been published in various urban magazines and literary publications, and usually performs under his stage name, "Atypcl," which reflects his multi-cultural identity. He released his first spoken word CD, "Lucid Intervals," in 2005. His new CD is set to be released in August 2008.